The present invention relates to an archer""s arrow, and in particular, to an archer""s arrow having a chemical light source that is activated when the arrow is shot from an archer""s bow to illuminate the archer""s arrow.
A long-existing problem for archers has been the difficulty of locating and retrieving an arrow after it has been shot from a bow. During hunting, when an arrow misses its mark, the arrow may land in dense bush, leaves, or the like, making it difficult to locate. When an arrow hits its target, such as an animal, the animal will often travel some distance before falling, sometimes in dense brush or woods. This also makes it difficult to locate the arrow and the animal. The problem of locating the arrow is further accentuated by the loss of light at dusk or after darkness.
Previous arrow designs have attempted to resolve the above-noted problems by providing an electrical light assembly within an arrow nock or within the shaft of the arrow. Such designs have utilized electrical circuits having a lamp, battery, and a switch for closing and opening the electrical circuit to energize and de-energize the lamp, respectively. The disadvantage of such designs is that the electrical circuit, battery, lamp and switch add additional weight to the archer""s arrow which drastically affects the flight of the arrow. In addition, such designs may be susceptible to damage due to the impact the arrow may realize upon the arrow hitting its target. Archers also use arrows for shooting fish, and the electrical circuitry provided in such designs is not practical or operable for use in water and/or other moist and damp environments.
Other designs have utilized chemi-luminescent light sticks to illuminate the nock of an archer""s arrow. Such designs require that the archer activate and insert the chemi-luminescent light stick into the nock prior to shooting the arrow. In fact, activation of the chemi-luminescent light stick typically occurs well before shooting the arrow as such activity would typically xe2x80x9cspookxe2x80x9d the hunted game. This is a disadvantage since the archer must replace the chemi-luminescent light stick to insure that the arrow stays sufficiently illuminated during the time period that an archer may be forced to track an animal it has shot with the arrow. In addition, an illuminated arrow may expose the archer to its game, thereby xe2x80x9cspookingxe2x80x9d the game prior to the archer shooting the animal.
It would be desirable to provide an illuminated archer""s arrow which does not add weight to the arrow. It would also be desirable to provide an illuminated archer""s arrow which is not affected by the environment in which it is utilized. Lastly, it would be desirable to provide an illuminated archer""s arrow which was activated when shot from an archer""s bow.
The present invention relates to an apparatus for illuminating an archer""s arrow. The present invention provides a nock of an archer""s arrow adapted to receive a bowstring in a drawn position. A light source is disposed within the nock and is activated when the bowstring is released from the drawn position. The nock is transparent to allow the illumination of the light source to show through the nock.
The nock provides a slot which is adapted to receive the bowstring and a bore which intersects at least a portion of the slot. The light source, preferably a chemi-luminescent light stick, is disposed within the bore and partially intersects at least a portion of the slot. The light stick is engaged and activated by the bowstring when the bowstring is released from the drawn position.
Other advantages and applications of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art when the following description of the best mode contemplated of practicing the invention is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.